Leah Sharibu At 16: Ali Ndume Joins Omokri, Tee Mac And Ben Bruce In Birthday Tribute (video)
The Oasis Reporters
May 14, 2019
A prominent and leading campaigner to keep the 16 year old kidnapped Christian girl still in Boko Haram captivity, Leah Sharibu in the consciousness of Nigerians and the global community, Urhobo born Reno Omokri has taken to twitter to celebrate the young Leah who prefers to remain in captivity than compromise her Christian faith.
In a video recording by Reno Omokri who was a social media adviser to former president Goodluck Jonathan, brought in Bornu State born senator, Ali Ndume, a Muslim, to make an impassioned appeal for the release of Leah, in the spirit of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting and prayers to Almighty Allah. He did this as he wished Miss Leah Sharibu a happy birthday.
Joining Senator Ali Ndume in the video is another Senator, Bayelsa State born Ben Murray Bruce also wishing Leah Sharibu a happy birthday, while praying and hoping for her release, at least before her 17th birthday as to enable her continue with her interrupted education.
Internationally acclaimed flutist, Tee Mac Omatsola made a perfect rendition of a birthday song on his flute for Leah.
Hundreds are marching for Leah Sharibu in the UK, US on her I6th Birthday, today.
And at an event at the prestigious Georgetown university in Washington, Nobel Literature Laureate Wole Soyinka had paid a poignant tribute to the heroine Christian Schoolgirl in an ode to Leah and Chibok last week.
He likened Leah to the late Nelson Mandela of South Africa, and he said we must “celebrate the exception who said “no” “ as it reminded him of Mandela who refused conditional release.
Reciting the ode titled “Mandela comes to Leah”, Soyinka said, “ “No”, she said, “Faith is not of compulsion”…her torch undimmed in the den of zealots.”
Prof Soyinka said he could only recite excerpts from the ode because he broke down the last time he had tried to read it.
International human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe who led the successful advocacy effort to designate Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization has offered thanks to the cast and producer/playwright of “Chibok: Our Story” Wole Oguntokun for giving voice to the Chibok situation despite efforts of the government to silence the advocacy.
In mentioning the sad news that Leah’s 16th birthday was coming up in captivity on May 14, he also mentioned the good news that one of the escaped Chibok girls he brought to school in the US was graduating with an associate degree in science the same week.
Vanguard newspaper reports that hundreds of people will today storm Nigeria’s Mission House in the United Kingdom and United States of America for prayer vigils as part of a global concern for the 16th birthday anniversary of Leah Sharibu, one of the 110 girls abducted from their school in Dapchi by Boko Haram insurgents.
Leah Sharibu has spent 449 days in captivity, as she marks her 16th birthday today. There would be activities in Abuja, Jos, Lagos, Yola and Port Harcourt in addition to other events by Panam Music World, John Praise Foundation for Human Development and Prof. Mercy Ade-Davies International Foundation. A statement by the UK group said: “Please join us to pray and protest from 1-1:30pm, the address is: 9 Northumberland Ave, Westminster, London WC2N 5BX. You can still speak up for Leah now.” There would also be an event at the US Senate building on Capitol Hill today in Washington.
In a related development, pupils of primary schools in Jos had a peaceful march and the same time, prayed for her safe return. The pupils drawn from different schools called on the Federal Government to secure schools so that innocent children are not made to suffer for things they know nothing about.
Speaking at the mini rally, the President of Leah Foundation, Dr. Gloria Samdi-Puldu appealed to the Federal Government to honour its promises of freeing Leah from captivity.
Watch Video by clicking on the link below :
Dear Leah Sharibu,
My friends, Senators @BenMurrayBruce and Ali Ndume, along with @OfficialBovi and award winning flutist, Tee Mac Omatsola, join me and members of the #RenosNuggets family to say #Happy16THBirthDayLeahSharibu
Please WATCH and RETWEET to support #FreeLeahSharibu pic.twitter.com/Q1iADyVGde
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) May 14, 2019
Additional sources :
Twitter
Vanguard
Reno Omokri
Emmanuel Ogebe and Agency reports.
